Meeting the Mouse
by Kristen3
Summary: After watching the Disney Channel, David is suddenly fascinated by the Magic Kingdom. A family trip to the famous theme park brings everyone closer together. An early birthday present for Andrea (iloveromance)!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **This story is dedicated with love and gratitude to Andrea (iloveromance). Not only is this an early birthday present, but her own story "The Happiest Place on Earth" planted the seed for it. Having been to Walt Disney World several times, I thought it would be fun to use some of my experiences to write a story about N/D taking David there. I hope you enjoy this, Andrea! *Hugs*

Daphne loved how excited David was. When her son was younger, he'd watched "educational" shows on PBS, such as _Sesame Street_, and a few others. Niles had been so proud when he realized his son was already learning numbers and letters, before he'd ever set foot in a classroom. But somehow, David had discovered the Disney channel, and now the four-year-old was obsessed. Daphne was grateful that the shows entertained him, thus allowing her to do chores in peace. But, privately, she wondered why a network that bore the name of the man who'd created Mickey Mouse seemed to air nothing but TV shows starring various tween celebrities.

But David didn't care. He was currently watching a cartoon. "Look, Mommy, Mickey Mouse!"

A smile came on Daphne's face. OK, so maybe Disney's pre-school programming wasn't half-bad. Though the channel did not air commercials the way most other networks did, they spent a lot of time promoting their own shows and such. Right now, they were showing off some of the latest attractions at Walt Disney World. David watched, mesmerized, as sights from the famous theme park flashed on the screen. Daphne had to admit she liked it, too. After all, it was called the Happiest Place on Earth. Just then, the famous cartoon mouse addressed his young audience. "Hey, kids, you can come meet me and all my pals in person at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida!"

"Wow!" David exclaimed. He couldn't believe it. Mickey, and Goofy, and all of the others were right there, hugging kids just like him. "Can we go there, Mommy?"

Daphne's heart melted when her son turned to her. She could see the enthusiasm on his face, and she wanted so much to say yes. But she knew she couldn't give him an answer like that right now. "Well, let's see what your father says when he comes home."

"He'll say yes, 'cause he loves us!" David said immediately.

Once again, Daphne couldn't help smiling. She loved the fact that David had no doubts about how much he was loved. There were definitely times when her son could be a handful, but, deep in her heart, Daphne knew she wouldn't want him any other way.

That afternoon, Niles prepared to enter the apartment. It had been a long day, and he wanted nothing more than to relax with the two people he loved most in the world. He opened the door, anxious to see Daphne's beautiful face. But before he could even register her presence, he was nearly knocked over.

"Daddy!" David ran to his father at top speed, hugging his leg tightly.

Niles didn't want to yell at his son, so he merely looked pleadingly at Daphne.

"David, you have to calm down. Daddy just walked in the door. I know you're glad to see him, but why don't you go play in your room while we talk for a moment?"

"But -" David sputtered. He looked on the verge of tears.

Daphne hated seeing her son so upset, especially when he'd been so happy before. "Please, David? Just for a moment?"

"Okay," he said with a sigh.

Once their son was out of the room, Daphne kissed her husband. "I'm sorry about that. He saw a commercial today for Disney World, and he wants to go there. I told him we'd see what you said."

This was the last thing Niles had expected. He wasn't sure what to say. But David was a good boy. He didn't often ask for things. Suddenly, he had a flashback to his own childhood.

When he was David's age, he and Frasier wanted to travel to Portland to see a famous opera singer perform. They begged their father, but of course, Martin wanted nothing to do with any type of opera, and so he'd said no. He vividly recalled his disappointment, how he'd felt cheated. He couldn't let his son grow up with memories like that. Not when he had an opportunity give David memories of a once-in-a-lifetime trip.


	2. Chapter 2

They broke the news to David over dinner. He was ecstatic. "Can we go tomorrow?!"

"Not quite, son. We have to make some plans first, but we'll be going soon." Niles laughed at his son's enthusiasm.

"Oh." David's face fell a bit at that.

"But you'll get to ride on an airplane," Daphne said in an attempt to raise David's spirits. "Remember last time?"

David nodded. Just last year, the three Cranes had flown to Chicago to visit Uncle Frasier. David had loved being in the air. For a while, he had even talked about wanting to be a pilot someday. But that phase had been short-lived. "Can Grandpa come with us?"

Niles and Daphne exchanged a look. David adored his grandfather, and of course Martin spoiled his grandson, just as he'd promised when the boy was born. It was no wonder David would suggest this idea. But both adults knew that Martin probably wouldn't be able to come, as much as he might like to. These days, Martin tended to want to relax, take quiet vacations with Ronee. Disney World would require a lot of walking, which Daphne knew her father-in-law's hip would not tolerate. But David watched his parents expectantly, waiting for an answer.

"Well, David, it's great that you want to invite Grandpa. But I don't think he'd like all the walking. I think maybe it's better if the three of us go, and we can take pictures to show him when we get back. And we can buy him some souvenirs, too. I'm sure Disney sells beer mugs somewhere!" Niles grinned at his wife as he spoke the last sentence.

It was clear that David was disappointed that his grandfather wouldn't be able to join them, but he got over it once he heard about all of the rides at Disney and the characters he could meet. Daphne couldn't remember ever seeing her son so excited about anything. When she put him to bed, he seemed to have no interest in sleep; he simply had too many questions about the trip. Finally, Daphne told him that it was time for bed, and if he went to sleep right away, he would be that much closer to the trip when he woke. Fortunately, that seemed to do the trick.

Daphne returned to the master bedroom to find Niles lying in bed, looking at his laptop. "I've been checking out hotels."

"Did you find anything good?"

"Well, of course, I naturally wanted to find a four-star, luxury hotel, but it seems Orlando has more family-friendly hotels. Many of them say that they have children's programs, so that adults can have some time to themselves."

Daphne grinned. "I like that."

"So do I, my love." Niles kissed her. "I want this trip to be memorable for David, but I think _I'll_ be remembering it for a different reason."

Already, Daphne could picture it. A romantic dinner for two, and maybe a walk along a beach. Suddenly, she wondered why Disney World was the happiest place on earth. She wouldn't need a theme park or exciting rides to be happy. All she needed was to be with the man she loved.


	3. Chapter 3

Fortunately, it did not take long to plan the trip. This was good, because Niles and Daphne weren't sure their son could stand the anticipation. Before any of them knew it, they found themselves at the airport, courtesy of Martin and Ronee. "Bye, Grandpa!" David hugged Martin tightly. "I wish you were coming with us!"

Martin smiled sadly. "Me, too, buddy. But, listen, you don't want an old guy like me slowing you down when there's so much to see!"

Ronee slipped her hand in her husband's, knowing how much Martin would've loved to go, but everyone knew it just wouldn't work. "I'm sure you'll all have fun," she said, winking at her stepson and daughter-in-law. She was well aware that they had their own plans while the family was in Florida.

After one last round of hugs and goodbyes, the three Cranes boarded their airplane. David began chattering excitedly to the passengers nearby. One of the stewardesses noticed him and smiled. She bent down to David's height. "Hey, you know what?"

David shook his head.

The stewardess smiled. "Well, anybody who's on their way to Disney World for the first time gets their very own pair of wings." She removed a pair of plastic wings from her uniform and carefully pinned it onto his shirt.

"What do you say?" Daphne prompted her son.

"Thank you," David said politely.

"Yes, thank you," Daphne echoed. She glanced at the woman's nametag. "Andrea." Throughout the flight, David kept looking down at the pair of wings on his shirt in amazement. Daphne made a mental note to mention to someone at the airline when they landed that this stewardess must be one of the best they had. She knew her son would never forget this trip, or this woman's kindness.

The five-hour flight was largely uneventful. David eventually fell asleep once his excitement and adrenaline bottomed out. Niles and Daphne spent that quiet time dreaming about what they would do while David was enjoying the hotel's activities.

They had barely checked in to the hotel when David noticed an arcade, and a large group of kids going in. He immediately begged to join them, and Daphne figured she would stay with him for an hour or so after she and Niles had put away their luggage. But, as luck would have it, a hotel employee was standing just outside the arcade. She explained to Daphne that she would be glad to keep an eye on David for a while.

"That would be wonderful," Niles replied.

It did not take long for two of them to put their things away in the hotel room. "Well, what should we do now?" Daphne asked.

Niles kissed her deeply. "I've got a few ideas..."

Daphne smiled. "I know you do, but I think we should save that for later. Right now, I think I'd like to take a bath in the tub, and maybe have meself a nap."

"That sounds just fine, my love. I think we could both use our rest, because I have a feeling someone's going to want us up at the crack of dawn tomorrow."

"It won't be easy keeping up with him, but I know it'll be worth it."

"I can't believe I get to do things like this with my son. And it's all because of you. Just one of the many things for which I will never be able to thank you adequately." Niles kissed her several times.

Daphne enjoyed the moment. She'd fallen in love with Niles so long ago, and at times like this, she remembered why. "Darling, I think we'd better stop this. You said yourself that we need our rest. Besides, anticipation's half the fun, right?"

Niles thought of the way their son had practically counted the hours until they left. "Yes. I learned that in all the years I spent pining for you. But, right now, I can definitely say the wait was worth it."


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, the three Cranes woke bright and early. After a quick breakfast at the hotel, they made their way over to the Magic Kingdom. When they reached the gates, the line to get into the park seemed never-ending. David grew more impatient by the second. Daphne did her best to calm and reassure her son, but even her patience began to wear thin before they'd reached the gate.

But when they were finally admitted to the park, all of the frustration melted away in an instant. It literally felt like they'd stepped into another world. David was mesmerized by Main Street, USA. "Wow" seemed to be the only word he could say. Even Daphne was amazed. From the time she was a little girl, she'd loved fairytales. And now, it seemed, she was surrounded by them.

Though he was touched by the sights and attractions around him, Niles was still able to think logically. He told his wife and son to stay put while he went to purchase a map of the park. He returned moments later. The brochure he'd gotten not only detailed the layout of the park, but it also gave information on various shows and parades, as well as the times the characters would appear. Niles looked it over carefully, mentally mapping out their route for the day.

David watched as his parents discussed where to go first, which shows to see, and so on. But he was not interested in the logistical details. "Daddy, I wanna go on a ride _now_!"

"OK, son. We're just trying to figure out what we should do first."

Suddenly, Daphne remembered something she'd seen in one of the commercials. "Let's go see the Dumbo ride!"

"But that's all the way in Fantasyland!" Niles replied, pointing to the map.

David began to whine. Daphne looked at Niles. "Let's just start walking, and see what we want to do, all right?" she asked.

Niles understood. His need for order and efficiency was getting in the way of the fun and memorable experience he'd promised his wife and son. "All right, my love."

Daphne smiled, grateful that Niles was willing to put aside his planning. She knew it meant a lot to him to make sure they covered as much ground as possible. It was his way of taking care of his family.

But soon, they were too busy exploring the park's many attractions to be thinking about the map. David enjoyed many of the kiddie rides. They all rode the tea cup ride together, although Niles didn't particularly enjoy the spinning. But David loved it, so he supposed the experience had been worth it. When it came time to ride Dumbo, Niles decided he'd better sit it out. He'd learned his lesson.

After a while, the family decided that they'd had their fill of rides. They returned to Main Street, USA. It just happened to be one of the times when Disney characters would be appearing. David was in disbelief as he realized that Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto were _right there_. The line to meet these famous folks was rather long.

It didn't take Daphne long to realize that they would need to get on line quickly. There was no question as to who their first stop would be. The famous mouse, of course. When he noticed other children getting autographs, Niles quickly stepped away from the line and made his way toward one of the many shops. He purchased a book for his son, knowing that this would surely be something he'd treasure for many years.

Niles returned just in time, as there were only a few children ahead of David in line now. As they grew closer to Mickey, a sudden shyness seemed to overcome the usually-talkative boy. When it was finally their turn, David stayed frozen in place.

But the cartoon mouse was used to this kind of thing. He bent down and beckoned David over. Daphne smiled at the sight. "Come on," she said, gently taking her son by the hand. He went, but he was clearly uncertain.

"His name's David," Daphne explained as she handed Mickey the autograph book. The mouse took it and quickly wrote something. Then it was time for the photograph. Daphne and David squeezed in around Mickey as best they could. Suddenly, David was smiling as Niles took the picture. There was no doubt this one photo would be worth far more than a thousand words.

The moment ended, as it was now some other child's turn to meet Mickey. Only after they'd walked away did Daphne get a chance to examine what was written in the autograph book. She smiled as she read the words, then showed them to her son. _To David, Your Friend, Mickey Mouse_. Though David couldn't quite read yet, he was able to make out the words. "Wow," he whispered. "He knows me."


	5. Chapter 5

David's autograph book was soon filled with signatures from Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and several other characters. When David decided he wanted to go on the Dumbo ride a second time, the family returned to Fantasyland. While there, they were treated to a meet-and-greet with Cinderella and Prince Charming. Cinderella gladly hugged David and took a picture with him. Daphne accompanied her son when it came time to meet Prince Charming. The Prince shook David's hand, showing off his royal good manners. Then he turned to Daphne, gently taking her hand to kiss the back of it. Even though she knew all of this was make-believe, Daphne could feel herself blushing.

Niles walked over when he saw the Prince's greeting. "Sorry, Your Highness, but she's mine."

"My apologies," the prince said, bowing. "I, too, have found a fair maiden to share my life." He pointed to where Cinderella stood, signing a child's autograph book.

Daphne smiled at that. She liked being compared to Cinderella. The story of a poor girl who captures the heart of a prince wasn't that far off from Daphne's own life. She glanced over at Niles, and she could see he was thinking the same thing.

Just then, David tugged on Prince Charming's pant leg. "Can we take a picture now?"

"Yes, of course you may," the Prince replied.

Daphne put her arm around the handsome Prince while Niles and David stood on the opposite side. Niles tried to remind himself that this was all an act, and that the Prince really had no interest in Daphne. Still, he was grateful when he glanced over and saw the young man looking at the camera, and not the woman beside him. Fortunately, Cinderella and the Prince had a "helper" who was willing to take the picture so that everyone could be in it.

By the time David was satisfied that he'd met most of the characters he'd been hoping to see, it was clear that dusk was beginning to set in. It was time to find a spot from which to watch the nightly fireworks display. They found themselves a place near the very center of the Kingdom, which promised an excellent view of Cinderella's castle. Daphne felt her heart race as the sky began to darken.

The show started shortly thereafter. First, the castle began to change color, in time to the music that was playing. The colors were breathtaking against the backdrop of the night sky. Then the fireworks began. "When You Wish Upon a Star" could be heard. Suddenly, Daphne was a little girl again. She looked at David, whom she held in her arms. She'd expected him to be watching the show in amazement. But he seemed to be having a difficult time just staying awake. With all of the day's excitement, not to mention the walking, it was no wonder he was so tired.

The fireworks continued. In between blasts, Jiminy Cricket assured the audience that wishes really do come true. Daphne knew that many people here probably thought the idea was silly, but she knew it was completely true. She had to look no further than the boy who was resting on her shoulder, or the man standing beside her, if she wanted proof.

The colorful spectacle continued. Daphne couldn't believe what she was seeing. "It's so beautiful," she whispered, not even realizing she'd spoken.

Niles turned to her, grinning. "Yes, but it wouldn't be half as lovely if you weren't here to share it with me, my love."

Daphne's heart melted at that. She turned, being careful not to disturb David, and kissed her husband. "Thank you, darling."

Now that the show was over, it was time to leave the park. It was a little sad to think that their day here in the Magic Kingdom had come to an end. It had flown by. And although all three of them now had memories that would surely stay for a lifetime, Daphne couldn't help thinking of the people she loved who hadn't been able to share in this experience, such as Martin and Ronee, Frasier, and even her own family in England.

"It would've been nice to have Dad and Frasier here," Niles said as they made their way toward the exit. Daphne loved the fact that it sometimes seemed that her husband could read her mind.

"Yes, it would have been." She looked down, not wanting Niles to see the lone tear that made its way down her cheek. But rarely did he miss such a thing. He reached over to gently touch her cheek, making her forget her sadness for a moment.

"I promise you, when we get back home, I will call my brother and insist that he come to visit us. I know you miss him. And of course I do as well," Niles said.

Daphne squeezed her husband's hand. "I know I'm being silly, getting meself so emotional over a fireworks display. But David's growing up so fast, and I don't want to miss a moment of it. Your father and brother have done so much for me, taking me in, and helping me find the love of me life. I just think the least we can do is share what we have with them."

"I know I say this often, but I'm truly amazed by the way you care about the people you love. A trip like this is something that never would've crossed my mind if it weren't for you and David. And now, I've just spent a day here that I know I won't soon forget. I also know that wishes come true, because I'm looking right now at the thing I wished for the most in my life: you."

Her sadness from just moments ago was now completely forgotten. Daphne kissed her husband deeply. Then she slipped her hand into his, making sure her other arm was still securely holding onto David. "I think we'd better get this little one into bed soon," she said. "Because I imagine he must be having some incredible dreams right now. I'm so glad he's got a dad who would come all this way just to make his dream come true. Just like you've made my dreams come true."

Niles smiled as he took David from her. They had now reached their rental car. He kissed his son's cheek before carefully placing him in his car seat. "It was my pleasure, Daphne. You've already given me much more than I ever could've dreamed of. I can never thank you enough."

**The End**


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